Theater Stories
by SailorLeia
Summary: Set in the R series, Darien's directing a play to save his school's dying drama program. When all of his classmates drop out and he desperately turns to Serena and her friends for help... he gets far more than he'd ever bargained for. Set T for Teen just to play it safe, Crazy Drama teachers, poison apple chomping, dwarf violence ensue! MORE will Follow SOON!
1. Darien's Dilemma

**Dear Readers,**

Hello there, SailorLeia here with a new story that came to me completely out of nowhere in a time of eye-twitching, hair-pulling RAGE! The latest chapter of my other tale, 'Fifteen Ways To Make Your Prince Remember You Exist," is coming along well. (It would have been done and posted if my computer hadn't crashed and I hadn't misplaced my stinking jump drive that refuses to work now… but why cry over spilled milk… Plus I already spent a week doing that already!) This was just something fun I thought might be an entertaining read! And something to make the wait seem not so long! Bless you all!

Yes, this is another R series tale, all spanning from 'my favorite' the second season of Sailor Moon. During the 'Doom Tree Arc,' in fact this is really all because of one episode during that time. One that my other fic didn't get to tackle. I'm speaking of the episode when all of the gang was in a play of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!" I literally have no clue where this came from; I think it could be all of mountain dew intake finally having an effect on me. Or it could be all of the GREAT fan fictions that I have been reading lately combined with all of the "Once Upon A Time" that I've been watching… but even that's guessing!

This tale will center on Serena and Darien, though I love to include EVERYONE. So Amy, Lita, Mina, Raye, Andrew, Rita, Ann and Alan will all be very present. Another thing that will hopefully be enjoyable about this tale is that it will feature the Shitennou or the Generals and the Scout's relationships with them. I'll explain everything in more depth as I go, I hope you like it! I grow as a writer the more I get to practice!

**Standard Disclaimers Apply: I don't own any of these character or copyrighted items that I may be mentioning! I'm merely borrowing all of this stuff for my own twisted version of events! Most will be returned unharmed!**

_Dedicated to my beta reader CaseClosed621, for her unfailing support, patience and kindness throughout ALL of these months! AND the musical group 'Muse' and whoever else was responsible for the creation of the song "Madness!" It was a HUGE inspiration in this little tale too!_

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**"Theater Stories"**

_**Chapter One -** Darien's Dilemma_

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**I, Darien Shields** woke up today a normal teenager. I got dressed and went to class like every other normal day. Before my after school activities could end, however, something _**AMAZING**_ took place and I am now and forever changed because of it! I know I'm totally showing my age right now and that I sound like any overdramatic teen. You should know that I'm usually much too mature for this behavior. I'm normally a quiet, well rounded and practical person. This happens to be one of those rare exceptions that seldom take place, and I am currently freaking out!

I could go into great detail about how I was appointed President of a dying club on its way to being another casualty in this economic recession that everyone seems to be experiencing. I could even go into immense details about how I got roped into not only starring in this 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarf' DISASTER disguised as a normal school play... but directing it too. I could even tell the lengthy tales of how all of my classmates quit our originally 'Shakespearean' play and that I had to go to my (supposed) arch-nemesis, on my hands and knees, in the street, for her assistance. I'll just spare you and skip all of that, sticking to only telling you what you NEED to KNOW.

The most important of all the necessities in this narrative is that, there's a girl. One who has been special to me since the moment we met; and started screaming at one another. On sight, she's so unique, so different from any other person that I have ever met. Usually girls have trouble keeping me attracted, keeping my attention for more than thirty minutes (or seconds). While this young woman has done nothing but FASCINATE me from the very first moment we met. This epiphany that I'm presently staggering through is entirely her fault.

Well... I suppose I should get more than half of the blame in retrospect, but I'll let you decide. Her name is Serena, she's a little younger than me, she's still attending middle school but she will be starting high school this fall. So very soon we will be attending the same school and I honestly can't wait. If I start into the reasons for my excitement at MORE chances of spending time with her, we will be here all day and I will never remember to document my point. So please, let's just leave it at that.

After weeks of rehearsals, weeks of practicing and memorizing lines, we've FINALLY reached the night before our first performance. I must say, even though this entire productive progress has been an oversized spore in my side, that I am proud of our work. I love the version of this folktale that Rita (Andrew's girlfriend and my friend) has conjured up, merging five different scripts of the play. It's a beautiful story, everyone has worked so hard and I think everyone will do very well in our portrayal tomorrow.

Though, as the director, I still had to confront a couple of major dilemmas in today's practice. We still had never been able to perform the play all the way through without making corrections on our star 'Snow White,' who was being played, to my dismay, by a girl named Ann Granger. She's the same age as Serena and attends the same school. Ann is a nice girl... sometimes, but she's WAY too pushy and clingy. She has a major crush on yours truly, which she doesn't hide at all; and I can't fathom what's so alluring about me to her. We have nothing in common really and I hate that type of girl. This obsession of hers is getting borderline 'horror movie!' I'm always turning her down for dates and I'm always pushing her away at my arm's length. Imagine my disappointment when our drama teacher (whom we refer to as Ms. Tacki) announced our cast and Ann's starring role as the poison-apple-chomping princess opposite my 'princely' role.

I have to admit that Ms. Tacki is my favorite high school teacher, even though she's always challenging her students and placing us in situations far from our comfort zones. Then telling us to 'ACT' our way out of them, to consider what others think or feel. To look outside of ourselves and try to place ourselves in other's shoes or skins; not only does she gently suggest this. She can push the limits of ANY imagination and get what she wants. Even though the only way that I can think to describe the way she looks is that she's like the cleaner Broadway version of Sybil Trelawney from the Harry Potter series. Though Ms. Tacki is savvier, surprisingly more trustworthy, and is usually doing all of these weird things to teach you a HUGE lesson. The lessons she's taught me in my short time here have already won her the rightful title of my favorite instructor.

EVEN THOUGH she's making me prince charming opposite Ann!

EVEN when Andrew and Rita were more suited for these starring roles and were a little hurt that didn't select them.

WHY you ask? I'll tell you! It was Ms. Tacki's brilliant intuition to cast sweet angelic Serena as the twisted and wicked evil queen. A choice that I have found far too much entertainment and pleasure in over these last few weeks. Unlike Ann's pathetic performances, Serena has not only fully risen to the occasion, but she's blossomed as an actor before our very eyes. She's done an ASTOUNDING job with her role and her comedic timing is UNBELEIABLE! Not that I'm too surprised at that fact. She's never failed to make me laugh in the years I've known her. Even an old sour puss like me. Better than all of that still, spending so much time around Serena and her group has enabled me to get to know them a little better. Like, there have been entire days that Serena and I didn't fight. We've talked, laughed and gotten along so much better. is BRILLIANT!

Before this, none of her friends had 'names,' they were all known to me, by their appearances. Now I know that 'Big Red Bow' is Mina, 'Green Bow' is Molly, 'Pony-tail' is Lita, 'Short-Blue-Hair' is Amy, Raye is Raye, and 'Crazy eyes' is Melvin. Are you beginning to see why I turned to her for help? I don't think I've ever known this many people at one time well enough to call any of them a 'true friend,' but Serena's been in this tight-knit pack for a few years now. When all of my classmates quit, I was hoping Serena and her huge group of teenage friends could aid our dying Drama Program. None of them disappointed and they've all put remarkable effort into this benefit. With any luck, we'll save the class and we'll all be able to take 'Drama' if we choose, for the rest of our student careers here.

My biggest trial as I entered the auditorium today was two things. We NEEDED to go through one ENTIRE performance without stopping, hesitating or dropping character (all problems Ann's been causing and no one else, might I add). I also HAD to get through one reading of the anticipated 'kiss scene' without Ann GRABBING ME!

She's supposed to 'lie as if dead,' the last time I checked, dead people weren't capable of wrapping tentacles around a person and wrestling them down into a kiss! Assault was more like it, she kisses like a vacuum cleaner. After weeks with NO progress on this matter, and our situation too desperate for even threatening her with a replacement, I went to Ms. Tacki and asked for her help.

She took hold of my shoulder and said grandly, "My Dearest of Dariens, this is all so easy to fix. All you have to do is get one of our other girls to show her how it's done. Then she has a visual of what you want and need to go on. When that girl arrived at our door, she'd never been read one of these stories as a child. She explained it as her parents had been too practical to believe in magic. Create some magic for her with another girl and she'll be fine."

So, with this new course of action set into place, I asked the first girl who entered the auditorium to help me. I had no clue that this new strategy would be so difficult to accomplish! The first girl to show up was Rita, our screenplay designer, makeup artist and narrator who would be reading to the entire crowd like a bedtime story. She tried to help me, but we both backed out of this idea. Not only because it was WAY too WEIRD, but Andrew (our magic mirror) kept eyeing us both like he was trying to decide who to kill first. So Rita just helped me position the 'Snow Coffin' just right for the next 'victim,' which turned out to be Rita's best 'girl' friend, our costume and artistic set designer, Peggy Jones. Peg really did try to lay still and be a great Snow White stand-in… but her version of 'play dead' was WAY too stiffly awkward. I couldn't move her at all.

The next girl to try was meek little Amy, who blushed and panicked too much. Followed by Raye who was way stronger and grabbier than Ann. Lita must have eaten raw sewage for lunch to breathe the toxic fumes leaking out of her mouth. Molly was too giggly and snorted. Mina was just taking her place as 'Snow' when Ann arrived to this circus and Ms. Tacki quickly intercepted her and explained this whole scenario for me. Luckily Serena had FINALLY arrived (she wasn't late, I was just anxious to see her,) right behind her and heard the whole thing too.

Serena laughed quietly behind her hand, and shot me an amused look that almost made all of the frustration worth it… almost! As Mina's interpretation of 'dead' was making Ann look better all the time. I called to Ms. Tacki, "This isn't going, at all, the way I planned."

"PISH-POSH!" Ms. Tacki exclaimed majestically, as if I was making a mountain out of a mole hill. "Where there is _hope_, there is _**light**_! As long as we have light, we still have a good chance and you are giving up FAR too soon, mi dear. Simply because most of our female cast CAN'T give you what you need, does NOT mean that our goal cannot be met!" She stood swiftly and stomped her foot.

"It simply means that we have not found our SAVIOR yet!" she continued. "Our redeemer, our liberator, a 'knight in shining armor…' or maybe a crafty and beautiful evil QUEEN!" Ms. Tacki suddenly shouted as an epiphany of epic portions took her over and she rapidly whipped around to stare at Serena.

"Say what now?" Serena asked unsure of what had just happened.

"MISS Tsukino," began slowly drawling out. While all of my insides began to dance and twist excitedly and uncomfortably. My favorite instructor wasn't about to do what I think she was… was she?!

"I do believe, since you have just arrived, that you have not tried to help our director in his current mission. Am I correct?" My favorite teacher asked the small, beautiful, girl.

"Yes, I did just get here," Serena verified.

"Then WHAT are you waiting for? It is your TURN to lend your promising acting skills to a different role for a few fleeting moments. To aid your director in educating another actress, the way several of us have aided you over these last weeks. Now GO ON, my Serenest of Serenas! Hop to it!" she commanded.

Serena's head tilted high with the ring of this new challenge she'd been issued. If there was one advantage to all of our years of bickering, it was learning quickly that Serena will decline a crazy (bad or dangerous) situation straight away; unless you challenge her. She slowly yet confidently walked towards the stairs that led to the stage and disappeared from sight for a moment. I fought to keep my expression indifferent and unchanged, to keep breathing normally too, even though my thundering heart was reaching the speed and heat of a supernova.

I was so distracted with keeping my own cool, that I blanked completely between everything, until my cue line was being screamed at me by several dwarfs and woodland creatures. I snapped myself out of my Serena-induced trance and entered as I was supposed to, all of the dwarfs bowed and said all of the right lines. Since Serena had stepped into the 'sleeping-dead' role so convincingly, everyone's acting had been kicked up a notch. Even as I weaved through my lines with clear spoken accuracy, I was amazed to feel the real tears forming and choking my words appropriately.

I asked the dwarfs to "please… allow me to say goodbye…" while (Raye) Grumpy said perfectly, "You don't deserve the chance."

(Melvin) Doc scolded, "Now Grumpy, Snow White wouldn't want you acting in such a way. She would want you to be kind. I also know that she would have loved a chance to say goodbye herself. So… we'll give you a moment your highness, we're sorry we couldn't have been of more help."

Altogether, the dwarfs slid open the makeshift 'glass' coffin, as they exited the stage to await 'Snow's Anticipated Awakening.' This truly 'clear plastic' coffin was a contraption of true ingenuity that the four remaining tech drama guys had devised with clear container lids off of heavy duty storage bins and some artistic spray painting by our set designer (and costume designer/planner/maker) Peggy. If I didn't know any better I would swear the whole thing was authentic, right from the pages of a story book…but I just knew that not even fairytale coffin needs had 'rubber-made' etched on it. The Dwarfs and woodland creatures all stepped out of sight and Rita read the narration quietly to the make-believe audience. I took Serena's limp hand in mine, and brought it to my heart, just like I was supposed to. All the while PRAYING that my layers upon layers of princely attire were thick enough to conceal my irrationally pounding heart.

I nearly cried, for real, throughout my apologies and groveling for her to 'come back to me.' Which is REALLY weird for me since I'm about as 'emotional' as a dry sponge. Something about all of this was ringing some distant, even if dim bell, like we'd done this before… even though I just knew that was impossible. We'd only known each other for a few years and we've only started getting along recently… right!?

When the time finally came for me to kiss her, I wasn't grabbed! I wasn't wrestling, she wasn't laughing, her breathing was even so soft that you had to really stare to notice. I took her up in my arms a little above the comfy-cushy satin covered surface, because it felt natural and it showed how limp and limber I wanted 'Snow' to be. Serena stayed perfectly still all the while and her face never winced or changed at all from the blank peaceful mask she'd plastered there. I was about to let my lips just touch hers when I paused.

For the briefest of seconds I really did think about what I was going do, I was about to kiss Serena ON the LIPS! The girl who'd held my attention, my affections longer than any other. Even if this was a 'stage kiss,' that we were about to share one actor to another… I was a little afraid I would get slapped, kicked, or worse… that this kiss would suck!

I said, "Please Se-Snow-"

CRAP! I almost called her by her own name instead of her part's name! I berated myself, _**'Don't screw this up now! You're supposed to be acting! She's 'Snow' now, MORON!'**_

I let my lips just graze hers and a deafening, almost painful, crackle of electricity shot through my ENTIRE body. Along with this effervesce of INCREDIBLE energy, I also saw a deluge of images. All of it was fuzzy and blurry. The whole thing happened in a split second and it was all so SHOCKING that I jumped back a step and immediately stepped right back into it (while Serena remained unaffected, seemingly lifeless in my arms). I quickly returned totally wanting to experience this breathtaking SENSATION all over again. I even had the forth thought to cover my strange reaction for my small audience. I adlibbed smoothly, "Your lips are so cold."

This time I kissed her more confidently, and she remained completely still while the images repeated. Still blurry like squinting through water to see… what WAS this? As if to answer my question, Serena's lips parted against mine just slightly and the moment my brain registered that she was kissing me back not only was I sucked into toe-curling enjoyment. I was also subjected to the CRYSTAL-CLARITY of those images that had tumbled through my meddled mind moments earlier.

They were first, from my past life; as the Prince of the Earth, Endymion. Serena had been the Moon Princess, Serenity, at the time and we had been in love then too. Though, sadly, we lived in darker times, and we were killed before we could ever truly be together the way we planned. It was all turned up fresh in my head; like it had all occurred yesterday instead of thousands of year prior. Along with all of this, came back memories of this life that I hadn't realized I had forgotten. Meeting Serena, and all of her friends before; not knowing their true identities. Fighting alongside them as Tuxedo Mask, who was sworn to protect Sailor Moon and her four female teammates. I recalled learning their identities as well as our entire struggle against Beryl which had occurred most of last year and ended last winter. It was strange to remember the entire end battle, even though I wasn't physically present… I could recall when Serena had FINALLY defeated Evil Queen Beryl and the world was put to the peace that we've been observing ever since.

You have no idea how hard it was to see all of this in the blink of an eye! Pry myself away from Serena; who I had been kissing for an appropriate length of time now. Serena, who had obviously NOT experienced the same, AND stay in character! It was nearly impossible. Though I somehow managed to stumble through the rest of our scene and miraculously impress . Who was on and on about my chemistry with my 'stand-in' princess the rest of the day! My instructor not knowing that anyone who wasn't Serena would always be the 'stand-in' to me!

As soon as Serena was back to 'evil queen-dom,' and I was supposedly back to being Ann's prince… Ann quickly replaced Serena before me in the coffin. She'd barely waited for Serena to vacate the area and said, "Let me try!"

Though I needed a moment, to collect my scattered thoughts and jumbled head. I had to think! I needed air, I needed to be away from Serena before I ran at her, threw her up against a wall and continued what I had started. So I asked everyone to take five and I rushed out the emergency exit. As soon as I was out in fresh air I was leaning my back against the warm brick walls of our school. I had kissed plenty of girls in my life, had dated lots more that didn't get that far or brave. How did that TEENY little girl twist me into such a mess with just the touch of her lips?

Given Serena's always been special and far from normal to me… but why here! Why Now? In front of an audience? Was this happening to me? I was a nut-case, talking to myself, pacing and TRYING to touch my feet back down, to the good solid ground of Earth, when a hand came out of nowhere to startle me back into the near-hysteria I'd been residing in.

What's worse is, it was my head tech-drama guy, Kirk. (Who's long straight white hair made him the spitting image of our former enemy Kunzite.) His voice was even eerily the same as he apologized and offered me a cigarette. Telling me that it could help calm me down.

I said, "Thanks, but I don't smoke."

While Kirk said to himself, "Surprising."

"Why is that so surprising?" I asked him and he shrugged.

"I don't know, you're super thin so I suppose we all figured you must smoke to stay so trim," Kirk said, taking another drag of his putrid smelling stick. I yelped a short laugh, politely and nodded in understanding, before shaking my head in disgust at myself. This normal and harmless looking guy couldn't help it if he favored a former enemy of mine. I couldn't treat him differently than the way I'd been treating him all of these weeks, or everyone will really think that I have lost it.

While my inner monologue continued, Kirk felt the need to fill the silence. Saying, "It's a nasty habit but I only smoke to relax. This play's got a lot of effects and protocol so I've been slipping out here every now and again so I don't get too nervous. It helps."

See, harmless behavior, I felt silly even comparing the two… Suddenly the door behind us flew open and the other three technical drama stage crew guys came running out. They were all in woodland creature costumes, and they all were begging for Kirk to share his tobacco-flavored sticks of cancer. I realize that this all sounds like relatively normal behavior in high school students, but what you don't comprehend in these words is that all these guys… ALL resembled my former-lives most trusted friends – This life's worst enemies. While I'm fighting back my own reactions, all of the guys in question, were oblivious to my regard.

Kirk complied and demanded, "You're going to owe me Max!"

"Screw you! You've been smoking me outta house and home since we signed up for this stupid class!" Max (who resembled Nephrite to the point of scaring me) smirked as he lit the new 'nail in his coffin,' and began to smoke it.

"I –(cough-cough)- despise smoking!" Zane (A Zoisite with glasses) complained.

"Then why are you doing it?!" Jaden (The Jadeite twin) asked.

"It's that Mercury-girl, she just makes me crazy! History can repeat itself after all," Zane said while all three of the other guys hit him and made him look at me for some reason. At the sight of me, Zane turned sheet white, tossed his cigarette, stomped it out and proclaimed; "Smoking's very bad for you, I quit!"

Before he could run inside, I stopped him and asked, "Did you just refer to Amy as Mercury?"

"No!" Zane insisted, "Who mentioned Amy, which one is that anyway?"

"The intelligent one with short blue hair that you always seem to be looming near. My question is what in the world would make you refer to her as Mercury."

"Really?" Kirk asked on a huge puff of smoke. "Because it seems to me, the real question is how do you figure we're speaking of dear sweet Amy, when nothing points to her obviously. Except, of course, the identity that she used to keep hidden."

"Used to? What do you mean used to? What's going on?" I demanded and just as all four bowed before me.

"Master, you HAVE returned!" They all cheered and jump back up from their bows to slap my on the back and welcome me as if we hadn't been enemies in all of my interactions with them in this lifetime.

I guess my face must have been freaked out looking because Zoisite (posing as normal school student "Zane") called the attention of all his guys by saying, "HOLD UP! His highness has just gotten his memories back and has just STARTED asking questions we've GOT to give him space and time to organize his thoughts before we bombard him so much."

"Zo's right," Kunzite agreed, with a nod.

Then Jadeite asked, "So what DO you remember?"

Now they seemed alright… they seemed to have no ulterior motives and to be more like the old friends that I recalled having during the Silver Millennium. My friends, who had been innocent simply because they stood no chance against the mind controlling possession of Beryl, and her NegaForce. I just didn't trust these guys yet, not enough to share ALL I know. So I was honest, "I remember you guys always being considered my enemies, even when I was working alongside you, for Beryl!"

"He would remember that wouldn't he?" Jadeite chuckled awkwardly tugging on his collar.

"Is that it? You just remember up to defeating Beryl?" Nephrite asked and obviously didn't expect me to answer. He went on answering himself, "Well that is one hell of a start, hopefully everything else will come back in time."

"Enough with the act? What gives? Why are all of you attending high school like a bunch of normal people? Why do you care whether I remember a thing? AND Why in the WORLD are we not fighting right now?"

"Good questions, all of them," Kunzite grinned with far too much knowledge for my liking. "Honestly, I think that we were all a little surprised that you didn't start attacking us the moment you saw us. Given our colorful past in this life, even without your memories, something has stopped you from all out attacking us… What could that be?"

"Decency," I shrugged, "Compassion for another human being? Ever heard of it?"

"Certainly Master," Zoisite said with a bow of his head, "it's just that I think we hardly deserve such kindness from you or any of the Sailor girls."

"You're right, and if we were meeting at an earlier date, I may have not been as kind," I said honestly.

"Why do I feel like that's something else we'll be owing Princess Serenity?" Jadeite asked Kunzite who swatted him away and told him to 'shut up.'

Even though it had been a rhetorical question I answered it. "Because it's entirely her influence."

All four of the guys in front of me froze and before they could ask, I was already answering. "Yes I know who the princess is, and I do recall our past lives, in full. So if you have any plans of attacking her or-"

"WHOA! Attacking? Master, we owe your princess and you EVERYTHING!" Nephrite started.

"If you'll allow us, your highness," Zoisite continued. "We only wish to aid you both and your team as much as we can in the future. It was your combined attack that finally killed Beryl and freed us all. Ever since none of us have sustained one evil thought… well, not really."

"As a matter a fact," Kunzite felt the need to add, "We've been doing your jobs for you, while you've all been oblivious to your real selves."

"What do you mean? The Sailor Scouts haven't been fighting?"

"No, not all!" Jadeite said, before sadly adding; "They're all still friends but other than that.. it's like none of it ever happened."

"We've been trying to keep an eye on them, the princess and you, ever since we all remembered and reunited," Kunzite began. "It hasn't been easy, because it's almost like these creatures can sense what you are. We've had to stop several from seeking you out. These new beast are nothing at all like Beryl's, much tougher to beat, because at their core isn't a possessed human being with hidden feelings or reservations."

Zoisite cut in and explained as he cleaned his glasses with the soft fur of his costume. "It's a card of some alien origin that enables each beast to run around, uncaring and uncivilized, draining people and animals of their own natural energy. Only when it has been beaten does it return to its card form, just before the card dissipates to nothingness."

I nodded my head at this information, in understanding before asking. "So what new enemy is enabling or awakening these cards to do their dirty work?"

Before any of these men could answer my question, Ann was at the door, insisting that we all needed to return to the auditorium. That we had to get one practice 'awakening' scene in before everyone returned for our full dress rehearsal. As soon as that obligation was behind me, I sought out our technical drama crew members high above the stage in their lair that looks like they have been using it for far more than merely stage directions, lighting and sound effects. It looked like I'd toppled smack into the middle of their base of operations.

While they were shocked to see me, they didn't make any kind of effort to hide their affairs beyond this small stage. They introduced me to photos of our new enemies and all of their strategies and efforts to keep Tokyo (even if especially the Sailor Girls) safe. Then Ms. Tacki came up after me, to see what I was doing up in the tech booth… a place I hadn't visited till today. Saying that she was **"Making certain there was no 'tomfoolery' in her theater that wasn't in a script."** While she was there she reminded all technical actors that they needed to treat this performance like the real thing. Cues needed to be on time and perfect, then she was gone and I could hear all of the girls returning below.

Before I left the booth, (Kunzite) Kirk called to me, "We'll finish bringing you up to speed, after dress rehearsal, go be an actual prince 'CHARMING' for once. A new challenge for you."

"Very funny," I shot back before heading back down into the crowd of actors and actresses. I was grateful to them for entrusting me easily, and helping me along with my own personal reawakening. Even when none of it made acting normal around Serena easy! Performing to my full capacity, that our steamy exchange was commonplace, hadn't meant a thing to me. When I haven't been able to stop staring at her or her lips since! It made everything so much more complicated, especially when I have all of these memories turned up fresh. When now more than ever, Serena is the only one I want to be with. All of this screaming in my head, while I KEEP having to kiss ANN with her super-sucking leech lips, seemed to DRAIN me more with every touch. Even now, when I'm not wrestling with her, or being yanked down into every single performance. Even now, just thinking back on the day and night I've just gotten through.

How am I ever going to make it through the rest of this benefit? All of the different performances coming up, when the only person I really want to be kissing is an evil villain. A rogue witch, being played by an angel, who probably would NEVER consent to kissing me... Even if I was the LAST man on EARTH! How much can I lie and act before lose my mind, or worse, lose control. Is there ever going to be a time when Serena and I can just be together, and happy? Or am I just a crazy person with a hopeless cause?

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_That's all for now! What didja think? Did you Like it, Love it, Hate it, Tolerate it? Let me know, I love hearing from you guys and hope that least someone enjoyed it. Regardless thank you so much for reading this far, THANKS AGAIN CaseClosed621 none of this could be done without you and god bless you all! Much Love!_

**-SailorLeia**


	2. Ann's Anomaly

Dear Readers,

Hi there! SailorLeia here, with another chapter to this crazy tale! I'm so glad that some of you like it! I hope that it has brought a little light into your day, the way writing it has brightened things for me, or the way your reviews have brightened me up! You guys keep me going! Bless you all and let's get started…

**Thank you all of you who favorite this story or me as an author, also thanks to all of you 'following' this tale or me as an author! That's a huge compliment! Bless you!**

**Special Thanks to everyone who did review:** M**aestro-Figi** (_Wow, it's been a while stranger! LOL! I was thrilled to see your name! Thank you so much for reading and writing in! You were my first reviewer for this tale ever, so you know I was a total train wreck till I read your kind words! Bless you, hope you're well and this is reaching you with plenty of sunshine-or starshine-depending on when you read it. Much Love!_)**, LoveInTheBattleField** (_Thank you so much, hope that you're still reading and enjoying. The twists and turns I have in store! Thanks for your kind words, I appreciate you taking the time to write in! Bless you and Much Love!_)**, xx Twilight Princess xx** (_Thank you so much, I'm thrilled that you liked this start! Bless you for writing in! I really appreciate you! Much Love!_)**, Anon** (_My GRACIOUS! I'm still blushing from your words! Alicia Blade and Stormlight have been my HEROES for many years! It's a true thrill to even be mentioned in the same sentence as those masters of fan fiction. Bless you for your generous review, I only hope that I continue live up to such wonderful words and expectations! I hope you're still reading and enjoying! Much Love!_)**, nancy** (_I'm so thrilled that you enjoyed, I hope you're still reading and hope that you are well! Thank you so much for writing in and Much Love!_)**, sailor silvimoon **(_Hey girl! LoL! Well I certainly am glad that you managed to find this tale, even though you didn't receive an alert. I'm even more thrilled that you liked it, and your enjoying this fic already with it's general match ups! Thank you for your kindness and inspiration throughout the last few months! You're a terrific friend and I hope you enjoy this chapter too! Much Love!_)**, and Charmed Serenity **(Here ya go! Hope you like it! Thank you so much for writing in! Much Love!).

_Dedicated to __***NSYNC**__ and __**Gloria Estefan**__ as well as anyone else responsible for the song __**"Music of my Heart,"**__ it was a huge inspiration in this chapter!_

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"**Theater Stories"**

_**Chapter 2**__ – Ann's Anomaly_

* * *

**Ann Granger's Drama Diary**

Thank you whoever gave Ms. Tacki the idea to assign us diaries cataloguing our experiences, but not reading them. Thank goodness she just flips through the pages to make certain we're writing something... that's it, so I can write anything! Awesome right?

So little of who I am can be shared…

Especially today…

**I,** (who made-up the name and person) **Ann Granger,** am in so much trouble… And it's not even my fault! This whole thing is Alan's doing, so it's his burden! He's the one being a complete DIVA!

Today was the first performance of our play, **'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.'** After weeks of rehearsals, countless hours practicing and memorizing lines… It should have been perfect, it should have been a total cake walk. It was going to be my big moment in the spotlight, my moment to shine and really show what I'm made of. Alan knew that, he knew how important this entire _'play thing'_ was to me, he knew what was at stake. This whole performance is to benefit the '**performing arts department**' at Darien's School.

Darien! The most beautiful, kind, handsome and GOREGOUS person on this whole stinking planet. I know, I looked; NOT one person compares to the sheer perfection of that man. Alan was jealous; he couldn't handle me having my sights set on someone else for a change. Instead of telling me this, calmly and rationally… what does he do? He unleashed a cardian on our cast, crew and audience! Absolutely and EFFECTIVELY destroying everything?

**And he calls me a total brat?**

He claims that he did it for me, and that we can't forget our real purpose here, on this planet. Without taking a breath, he immediately said after that, _**"I'm supposed to be with you and you're supposed to be with me! We're not supposed to be kissing and seducing other people!"**_

I told him, "I know that, this was only a _**'stage kiss,'**_ it doesn't mean anything."

He replied, "Do you honestly think that I'm that dumb? That I don't recognize your **'bedroom eyes,'** or **'genuine passion'** when I see it? After all of these years together, I know you better than anyone, give my intelligence some credit, will ya?"

He's totally right, I always underestimate him and I was lying to him, but at least what I said is half true… Darien has kept stressing to me, that he appreciates my help with his cause, but wasn't interested in dating me. I'm determined to change his mind, but Alan didn't need to know that. Now all of my hopes and dreams of doing so have been crushed and I feel positively sick!

The whole cast was disappointed; Darien's poor old teacher, who was a crazy-cat-lady Ms. Tacki was searching for jobs in the want ads. Our entire fairy tale set as well as one of our backdrop were destroyed. No one seemed to think audiences would come to see a show that had been a target for a cardian. Claiming that "it would be like wanting to see a play in the theater the same night after President Lincoln was shot."

I have no idea who "President Lincoln" is, but my guess was he was famously shot at some point in his life.

It all seems very hopeless from where I stand, in my room, tears in my eyes. Will I ever get to grace this world with my talents? Will I ever get _'my moment in the sun?'_ And will I EVER get to watch Serena die? Even if it is theatrically, no matter how much I wish it was reality!

I know everyone adores her, thinks she's this sweet delicate little flower. Am I the ONLY one who sees her for the skunk cabbage she truly is? She's never performed ONE THING wrong, like I have. She's only _'misinterpreted her material,'_ last time I checked that still means she's wrong. Why sugar-coat it, and spoon-feed it to her. Tell her she's a dumb pathetic toad and move on. I can't be the only one who sees this.

At first I thought that my lack of tolerance for Serena and ANY of her antics was something Darien and I had in common. We would pick on her, laugh at her and then he would take his turn… it was glorious. Then this play came up and he's been acting differently towards her. Everyone's noticed and everyone's betting that they're going to end up together now…

EXCUSE ME? Are we talking about the same two people that I know? Darien the smooth, sophisticated, mysterious and drop-dead-gorgeous MAN… And Serena… the chubby, kluzy, crybaby, one fourth his size, who's about as deep as cookie-sheet! For weeks I've carried on like complete normal, thinking that everyone had lost their minds… UNTIL-YESTERDAY!

When Ms. Tacki had decided that I needed better visual motivation for my performance. Darien had supposedly tried to perform OUR scene with EVERY present FEMALE in our cast! Even Rita, whose dating his best friend had tried to help. No one could do it, and I was feeling better all the time, until sent Serena to fill my role! Lay in MY fairy tale COFFIN! KISS my handsome Prince and STEAM-UP the entire clear plastic coffin she was laying in!

Have you ever heard a more whore-ific thing to do? Yes, I did misspell that on purpose, WHORE intended. I can't believe her!

What's even a million times worse, is now Darien's been put under some spell. He follows her around, he's always looking at her, and not even the heavy face paint she wears to become a hag, is enough to make him stop. Maybe the demise of this play is for the better. That could be what it takes to make Darien realize just who he's mooning over and come to his senses before he loses everything! Here's hoping!

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**Alan Granger's Acting Agenda**

**I,** may be pretending-to-be-a-regular-teenager named **Alan Granger,** but I am still a righteous person; who came to this planet with one purpose. That reason for coming here is to find a comfortable and peaceful life, while gathering and harvesting energy for the **'Doom Tree.'** A highly evolved life-form, who not only gave us life, but sustains our existence; if anything were to ever happen to the 'Doom Tree;' we would both perish. So we try to keep it well fed, by inhabiting places teeming with lots of different life-forms and energy. We've been lucky over these several years that Ann and I have worked alone together, two lost kids looking for a home. From the moment we were close enough to see the blue looking earth, we knew it was special. We had no idea one world could hold so much.

See how simple our existence is? Easy enough, right? It shouldn't be hard at all, though what you must understand is that in all of the worlds we've inhabited… None of them were populated with life the way Earth is, not any of those other places had 'people' who walk, talk and dress like we do. Since Ann and I hardly remember a time where there were more than just the two of us, it has been a challenge interacting with others.

Especially when we weren't here for an entire day, before Ann decides she wants to mate with one of these Neanderthals. I never expected my own '_one and only,_' to be such a simpleton! To have hardly any taste at all, when it comes to the opposite sex; to chase after a person who's not smart enough to see her potential; it made me take a look at myself, that's for sure. It made me evaluate how she could go from _me_ to **that,** in the drop of a hat. I comforted myself with the knowledge that Ann is younger than I am, she doesn't remember as much as I do about our childhood. Not to mention she's always been a little immature, when she doesn't get her way fast enough. This guy was probably just a phase, that she is going through, that will die out soon enough and be forgotten even sooner.

In the meantime, sitting back and watching my _'dearest love;'_ chase after this guy and compete for his '_preciously-sought-out-attention_' is more than frustrating… it's unendurable, excruciating and completely RIDCULIOUS!

As if that wasn't bad enough, I have to admit that there is one girl, other than Ann who has held my attention since I saw her. Her name is Serena and she's the most unique, beautiful, creative and the brightest spirit that I've ever beheld. She never says anything that I expect, she's always surprising me and she just keeps getting more mesmerizing by the moment. In our short time here, my affections and feelings for her are something else that is becoming unbearable to conceal. I think that she must have some idea of my fondness for her over all others. Then again everybody loves her, treats her well… except for that Darien guy of course.

As if I needed another reason to loath this guy, he hasn't had a good day unless he has tormented Serena in some way. She doesn't mind of course, but I do. She shouldn't have to put up with anyone treating her in this way; especially some sardonic smart-ass like him. I thought until yesterday, that if anyone disliked Darien Shields more than me, it had to be Serena Tsukino. Then… I saw that my perspective could be completely wrong about the animosity between them.

Yesterday when I arrived at the plays rehearsal and I was checking on Ann, I walked in on a performance of the end scene. The same one I had been reading with Ann every SINGLE night to help her remember her lines and to give a more natural performance. To my surprise, it was not Ann laying in the coffin, it was Serena. Ann later explained that Darien and had been complaining that her performance was still _'not right.'_ None of the girls had performed it correctly and Serena was their last hope. So not only did I have to endure that horrible man kissing Ann's lips, but I had to see him kiss Serena too. It was too much, I couldn't stand it! He did NOT deserve all of these people helping him, aiding his cause. So I began to make my own plans…

I secretly awakened a cardian and had it hide in the tower of the castle set. Telling it only to attack the next day, at ShowTime, which it did, perfectly. It destroyed most of the sets, some of the stage and the backdrops. I may have gotten a little carried away, but even if I did, that Darien-guy got everything he deserved.

Ann's not talking to me, telling me I ruined her new life; and that I was only mad that I wasn't a starring role in the play. She has no idea about my true motives, that I was retaliating on her behalf as well as Serena's. If she had, I know that she's not in mood to hear of such causes now, no matter how noble or selfless they are. She's not in a mood to listen, so I'll just keep that to myself for now. In the meantime, she's going to make me try to help rebuild the mess I made. She's already informed me of that before turning in for the night. I plan to play along, though I hold little hope in doing so… I don't think Darien has a prayer of getting away with this one.

* * *

**Darien's Drama Notepad**

As if being **me (Darien),** didn't suck enough… today was horrible!

I overslept before waking up in a panic, then rushing over to the school bright and early running straight to the theater for our first performance of our play. I felt better now that we had managed to practice the play from beginning to end three times, without stopping. I quickly did my homework in between costume and make up rounds. It was all very busy and time consuming business…

So WHY is it that I was STILL unable to keep my mind off Serena? It's never been my strong suit, sure, but it was a great deal easier in the past than it was today. I could NOT focus! I could not stop myself from looking at her, those eyes, those legs, her soft pink lips or that adorable heartfelt laugh. The way she made everything better, or put her own twist on things. Our past lives memories kept taunting me, our chances at a future together was even more provoking… Did I mention those maddeningly pink lips! WHY!? Pretending everything was normal was agonizing. It took every ounce of my control to not do something stupid like talk to her making conversation instead of insulting her; asking her out or prosing marriage. I was SICK, the worse most feared form of illness in the world, I was 'lovesick;' and there wasn't one thing I could do about it.

Not without further ruining her chances at a normal human life… the only thing she's ever truly wanted. Danger was already stalking her every move, obviously having no idea of who it was messing with. If I truly loved her (which I did), and if I was a moral as she was; than I would do what was best for her. Stay away, it was what I planned to do… no matter how tempting it was to endanger her a little more. In fact if our roles were reversed I'm sure she would do that much for me. It just has Serena written all over it.

The only problems I had with this course of action were as follows: As much as I wanted to be as moral and noble as Serena… I'm not. Plain and simply isn't my nature, my feelings for her weren't merely taunting, they were antagonizing, AGONIZING, and tenaciously taking up my every spare moment or thought. How have I lived so long in love with her and done NOTHING?! How? It is worse now that I know the whole truth but still I can't help but marvel at my own stupidity. The other thing that kept corrupting my plans were my own wishes if our current roles were reversed. If Serena remembered everything and she avoided me. Even if it was for my own good, and she had my best interest at heart, I would hate that. I would want her to try and help me remember every chance she got and the more I thought of it, the more decided I became, and I began to make that my new plan.

I couldn't live without her, would have to do my very best to woo her as just plain **'Darien,'** with little if any help from _Endymion_ or _Tux_. Which doesn't sound so tough on paper; but when you take into consideration, how difficult I've made this for myself given **'Darien'**s history with this particular girl… I have no one to blame but myself, I realize, but I would love so much to find some way of blaming Andrew. He's way too happy with himself lately and if he doesn't take it down a notch or six, he's going to end up with my fist in his face.

Regardless of all of the maddening details swirling around the vortex of my mind… The curtain went up on our first performance of 'Snow White,' though none of us actors even made it out on the stage. A monster came down from the highest tower of our 'castle set' bringing down destruction and draining EVERY person insight. Our audience, technical guys, Ms. Tacki, all of the girls...EVERYBODY. This monster was every bit the mindless machine that the Shitennou guys had counseled me on. I can't remember a thing except feeling all of my energy drain away from me. I remember hitting the ground, _hard_, and seeing all five of the Sailor girls faces, distorted with pain just before everything went black and I figured that I must have passed out.

So WHY am I now laying across a couch I don't remember seeing before, in the technical booth, above the stage? How did I get here, there's no way that anyone would have carried me up that flimsy spiral staircase that leads to this room. How did I get so many buries and scrapes littering my skin, in areas that shouldn't have been affected by my fall…and MOST importantly, WHY am I NOT in my 'Prince Charming' costume. WHY am I currently dressed like something from Aladdin's closet, instead of handsome prince from a woodland setting! WHO changed me and WHY is everyone looking to me for answers? All I remember is passing out, how can I be of any aid?

Like normal, nothing is what it seems, and apparently I didn't pass out like I think I did. Supposedly I was overcome with a crimson burst of power that transformed me into Tuxedo Mask just off of stage left. Then not only did I go completely crazy on the beast razing our sets, but I supposedly conducted a **'Q and A'** with the gathered audience afterwards. Taking Questions from the normal civians and answering them more than fairly.

Zoisite pushed his glasses to a more comfortable resting place on his nose, as he retold me all of the things I'd told the crowd with a humorless smile. Questioning my motives, plans for the future and sanity; a little more ever passing moment. Especially when I had no recollection of any of this ever taking place, not one bit of these events sounded farmiliar.

He patiently reiterated, "You informed the entire crowd that they could rest easier tonight. For you had returned and soon the Sailor Girls would too. When little boys and girls asked you, _'where was Sailor Moon?'_ And _'Why wasn't she keeping them safe anymore?'_ You told them that she didn't currently remember being Sailor Moon. That she nearly died defeating the last evil Queen, who had been trying to take over our world. That she had sacrificed SO much killing that evil once and for all, she'd gotten hurt. Sailor Moon all four of her Sailor Scouts and you had gotten hurt so badly, that it tampered with all of your memories, which is true. You even explained that now that evil was threating our world again, you had re-awakened and planned on doing whatever it took to keep those people safe; from now on. Then you introduced us to the crowd as new members of YOUR team, which is something we never discussed. At least you did use our old names from our former lives, so we now technically have secret identities like you, though we still REALLY wish we'd discussed this first."

I lamely remember asking, "I said ALL of that? To a crowd?"

All four of my newly acquired comrades nodded at me, that this was all true. Kunzite even showed me where the internet was BLOWING-UP with Scout believers and non-believers all over the world voicing their opinions on the topic. None of this made sense, none of this added up, and NONE of this explained my costume change. When I asked, "What up with THAT?"

Nephrite was nice enough to clarify, "You see, we were all under the impression that you'd given up the whole 'Tuxedo Mask' persona, and taken on a new… unthinkable more ridiculous super hero handle for yourself. Each battle we've fought in over these past few months, we received aid from a fellow who looked completely and totally like you. I mean, carbon copy! Except this guy was calling himself the 'Moonlight Knight.' Though it turns out he wasn't you… not entirely."

Before I could voice any confusion, Zoisite took over explaining, "As soon as you're little story was told and we got you off of the stage and hid you here… the 'Moonlight Knight' appeared and said that he was a part of you that had separated itself from you when you'd lost your memory. He was supposedly that part of your spirit that NEEDED to protect the princess at all costs, but now that you remembered your true self… he needed to go back where he belonged. Then he turned into a spirit and went back into your body. Your costume changed, you fainted and have been resting ever since."

I sat there quietly for a few moments, wondering what could have possibly processed me to do all of these things. Then a flash of my last memory flashed before my eyes, of all five Sailor Scouts laying on the ground. Leaving the most painful of all of those faces for last... there was my answer. Even now thinking of it, my instincts wanted to kick in again and have me do ANYTHING to stop her pain, her suffering, to shield and protect her from all harm. Only difference now, is I could move forward without completely blacking out, which I guess I couldn't do before.

I was about to try and explain that to my new allies, when they tossed me some civilian clothes to borrow. They pointed me to an area to change in and once I was changed Andrew and Rita appeared, wondering if I was alright. I remembered sharing with them before defeating Beryl that I was 'Tuxedo Mask,' they were my only confidantes in the world. They both had kept my secret and liked being the _'Alfred to my Batman.'_ They had even stayed quiet about my secret identity all of these months that I hadn't remembered, knowing I'd come clean eventually, when I was ready. Nothing else could spell out _'true friends'_ better to my new allies.

Andrew had never fully lost consciousness, so he'd heard everything Tuxedo Mask had said. So now I had to deal with four generals who wanted answers and an Andrew who thinks he knows almost everything. I still can't decide which was worse to handle.

Andrew swore the last time that they'd been able to talk about 'Tux,' had been the day I had been walking around with an injured shoulder. They also insisted that I had sounded like I was saying 'goodbye' that entire day. They had been scared and then I disappeared for a couple of weeks completely. Only to reappear with no memory, or story of the events. They had been patient for all of this time but needed some answers now. Since their questions seemed whole lot easier to deal with at the moment, I started with them… big mistake.

Rita asked me, "When did you realize that you were in love with two completely different people?"

"What do you mean two people?" I asked perplexed, for I had not been expecting that question at all!

Andrew added his agreement with Rita's question (as he always does) under his breath, "Oow, good one!"

"Well, we know that you're head over heels for Serena, that was the one thing that never changed. Even when you couldn't remember everything we could, you still were crushing on her like mad. Out there on that stage today, you weren't talking about Sailor Moon in a friendly platonic light. You were speaking in a tone that was weighted down with 'heat,' like a passionate kind of heat, and adoration."

I shot a questioning look at Andrew who, smirked and answered my thoughts with a question. "Isn't it amazing how she got all of that from your very tone? Girls are so much more perceptive than us guys, man."

I shook my head, and tried to say, "I'm not in love with two people, I'm in 'love' with one-"

"So you've given up on Serena?" Andrew panicked and before I could stop them. They were jumping to conclusions. Painting all of these dismal pictures of what life would be like without constantly having to mediate between our arguments. What would we talk about now… If only they knew the truth, they had no idea who Sailor Moon actually was. Sailor Moon didn't know who Sailor Moon was. Why does the world hate me?

It was Kunzite who decided to step in and tell them, "No, if you would let Darien explain he would gladly tell you that he is only in love with one girl. It's just that this girl has almost as many separate personas as him. 'Serena' happens to be just one of those facades."

I held my breath, what was Kunzite doing? Andrew's face was puzzled and Rita's was leaning more towards complete confusion.

"Come again?" Andrew asked.

While Zoisite simplified, "Serena is Sailor Moon, Sailor Moon is Serena, they are one in the same."

I was horrified, as both Andrew and Rita reacted separately about this unexpected revelation. As soon as I found my voice, I articulated, "I would never share her secret without asking her first."

All four generals gasped and asked in me in a condescending tone, "REALLY?"

"You ask people before you start spilling secrets? That's a decent thing to do?" Jadeite asked, and I stood up saying.

"Look, I'm sorry that I said all of those things, I had no control over my actions at the time and I didn't mean to place any of you in any more danger. You've all sacrificed so much for us all ready."

"You bet your sweet ass we have." Nephrite agreed.

Jadeite added, "You had NO right dragging us into this with you."

I hung my head agreeing with them, "I know I had no right, and I'm sorry. I wouldn't blame you if you threw all three of us out and told us to never bother you again."

"Master!" All four generals exclaimed in unison, and real horror.

"We would never do that to you, Master. Or any of the Sailor Girls either!" Zoisite felt the need to tell me.

Kunzite added, "We owe you everything, and were hoping to have a chance to be your team again. We're not opposed to you referring to us as 'your guys.' In fact given past history we consider it a huge honor and privilege, Master. We just really wish that we could have conversed on the subject a bit more before going public with all of this."

Andrew whispered to me, indiscreetly, "Why do they keep calling **you**, _**'Master?'**_"

Before I could answer, Zoisite explained to Andrew that I had been their 'master' in a past life and I could bore you with the gory details, but you already know that story. I know I'll never put it to paper in a way that articulates it correctly, the feel of that room at that moment. There was a shift in the very air, that was the start of something new. I don't know how or why I felt so safe or confortable, but I did. We would become that team that I had mentioned in my stupor and we would make this work. We could make this work, better than ever before. Whenever the girls reawakened, we could all be a team again. Only this time we wouldn't be worlds apart, or on the wrong sides. We would work together, and keep the world safe, and we could be happy.

Andrew was amazed to hear such idealism coming from me, when I voiced these sentiments aloud. I'd spoken with such optimism and outright positivity. So unlike me, without needing any explanations, he automatically realized, "More of Serena's influence on you, huh?"

"Yep," I confessed without hesitation as we were climbing back down from the technical loft to survey the damage done by the latest monster.

"Dang Dare," Rita exclaimed, "You aren't even dating her yet, and she's already got this much power over you?"

Andrew and all of my other comrades chuckled along with her point and I was about to comment. Really I was, I'm certain my words would have been bitingly biter, and I could have set the whole lot of them straight. Though anything I could have said, died on my tongue the moment I saw what we had been missing. While we had been above handling the more important and pressing matters of this day. Nearly everyone else in our cast had been down here dealing with damages dealt to our little benefit effort. Every one of them in a frenzy of productivity, putting little or big messes right. Among those serious faces of those fixing everything would be, bandaged but determined Sailor Girls. All five scouts, Molly, Melvin, Peggy and Ms. Tacki working at a pace that should be illegal. All four techs who were from this point forward, to be called Jaden (Jadeite), Max (Nephrite), Zane (Zoisite) and Kirk (Kunzite) were leaping forth to aid the girls in their tasks. Andrew and Rita were rushing to pick up the slack and I found myself taking it all in a second longer before joining the workers. At the rate they were moving, we may be able to pull this off and even perform our morning performances. If no one came, no one came; but it wouldn't be because we failed, which I don't think I couldn't have lived with.

Before I started helping as well, I did take notice of who was fixing what. Amy, Melvin and Zane (Zoisite) were working on replacing and re-attaching cords, wiring and making certain that all lights were replaced or working. Raye was surveying props and figuring out how to replace broken or unusable ones with and Jaden (Jadeite). Lita and Max (Nephlite) were repairing the stage's floorboards that had been torn up, and any other wood structures that had been impaired. Mina and Kirk were hilariously surveying our wardrobe seeing what needed fixing. Which hilariously meant Kirk (Kunzite) slipping in and out of MANY costumes when Mina wasn't. Mina and Molly were helping sew and stitch up tears and holes. But Kirk didn't seem to mind the modeling gig as long as Mina's hands were constantly coming into contact with him in some fashion. The things we do to be around the ones we love. Andrew and Rita were working on seats in the theater, making certain broken ones were replaced or fixed to the best of our abilities, while I mostly busied myself with making certain all of the buttons and whistles still worked around the stage when I wasn't helping with odd jobs here and there.

Everyone moved around, helped each other and did what they could, only Serena and Peg were preoccupied with a task so heavy that they never left their one task. They were each standing or sitting on a small skiff contraption, designing completely from scratch a new backdrop for our opening act. We had been lucky enough to place that scene on the very back pane and all of the other scenes had been stored safe from damage above the stage. The very screen we needed first had been completely mutilated and torn down. Beyond repairs and salvaging so they'd set to work and had been at it for quite some time.

Rita said that Peg was beside herself (and in tears) over the loss of that backdrop, when she had come to. Serena had stepped up and lent her artistic abilities to Peg's aid, and the two were harmoniously chatting away while they worked at a very skilled pace. They both knew that their task would probably take all night if it was to be ready for tomorrow morning's performances. So the two had set to work and you wouldn't believe their results in just a few hours.

I had never known that Serena was gifted in art, I'd had no idea. It was a hard thing to do, to stand out as an art talent beside Peg. Who's skill and knowledge of art was something you're born with and can't be taught. I even thought for a split second that it could just be me, thinking this. That everything she touches is gold, but as I heard everyone else's comments as well, I realized; Serena really had a talent. Peg had made a new friend, whom she was already talking into doing a few actual art pieces with while Serena seemed completely flabbergasted.

Andrew was the one who thankfully asked Serena, "Why do you seem so shocked, Serena?"

"Well," my princess began, "I've always loved art and I doodle all of the time. I've just never had anyone notice before. I was kicked out of art class, and haphazardly thrown into my school's drama program. I figured art was just something I _'liked,'_ not something I could _**do**_. There's a big difference you know?"

"Are you kidding!" Peg exclaimed before going over to the screen and pointing out four different styles of flowers Serena had painted. Each was totally different, intricate, vibrant and gorgeous. Peg confessed, "I **wish** that I could paint free-hand flowers like this! Without pencil drawing and erasing, having to plan every petal carefully to come even CLOSE to what you did. You've got skills!"

As more and more positive remarks filled the area, I didn't even think to voice my own opinions. Something I thought must have gone unnoticed, but I had no idea how wrong I was. Not only had Serena noticed my silence on the matter, but so had EVERYONE else. So when we were finally heading home for the night, in the wee hours of the morning, Serena kind of hung back. I noticed her leaned against the wall at the back entrance to the threater looking more determined than usual. She had some paint in her hair and on her face, but she still managed to dazzle me. I tried not to smile as I approached her, calling the normal, "Goodnight," as I passed.

"Darien," she barked rather steadfastly, for such a late hour. "Might I have a word with you?"

"Sure," I said as she fell into step, following me.

"First off, I wanted to ask you if you're alright, you took a nasty fall today." She asked and my heart beat sped up at the fact that she noticed… Cared… See how sad I am?

"I'm fine, you know you went down too, are you alright?" I asked, and I chanced a glance at her face. She was looking down at the ground then, her eyebrows furrowed in purpose.

"Well yeah, but _**I**_ fall ALL the time, this isn't about me. Don't sidetrack me!"

"Sorry, I wouldn't do that, what do you want to ask?"

"Are you sick?"

"Sick?"

"Yeah," when she saw my confused look, she explained more, "Like do you have a cold or are you on any kind of medication?"

"What are these questions leading to, Serena?" I asked shaking my head.

"THAT right THERE! That is where these questions are going!"

"What?"

"You just called me _'Serena'_, and it wasn't even the first time that you did it today. I didn't have to beg or fight it out of you! No 'Meatball Head,' No 'Meatball Brain,' or any pig names. You said **Se-Re-NA **just as easy and natural as you say any name."

"So?"

"So! That is word I didn't think you knew how to pronounce…in fact, you have not said one insulting thing to me for over two WHOLE days now. What IS going ON?"

"Isn't '_Serena_,' your name?" I asked her

"Yes, but what alien has taken over your body, making you normal enough to use it?" She asked, me before adding, "This isn't about the kiss is it?"

I don't know what your reaction is reading that line, but my entire body stopped functioning on that question. I have no idea how I managed to get the word out, but I heard myself squeak the word; "Kiss?"

"You've been acting weird lately, but you've gotten exceptionally worse since I played Snow White to help Ann. Am I imagining things, are you alright, or is something really wrong?"

I'll never explain it right, but she shot me the saddest most concerned look. Leave it to Serena to pinpoint the EXACT truth, all the while thinking she's crazy. No matter how much I wanted to tell her that she was completely and totally right, I couldn't do that at present. There was something in her posture, in her eyes and in the way she was **convinced** that she was wrong. She wasn't ready, not yet, she needed more time and I was willing to give her whatever she needed to find her way back to me. So instead of saying what I wanted to, what was practically bursting from my chest, begging to be voiced; I said what she needed to hear, and made it all up as I went.

"Hold on, time out, let me get this straight." I began, sounding convincingly-Darien, all the while wondering when did I become such prick? "Are you trying to tell me that you believe a kiss from you, that was a **'stage'** kiss to begin with, has made me treat you differently?"

"Well if it wasn't the kiss it had to be something, you're acting different and I'm worried. I'm even bothered enough to pack-up my courage enough to ask you, straight out, 'what's the matter.' Have I ever come to you like this before?"

"No," I said honestly for our shared experiences in this life, even though our past life was a completely different story altogether. I even continued, "But I don't know what you want me to do about it. It's not my fault that you're worried over nothing."

"Hey, as long as you're alright, and it really is _**me**_ stressing over nothing; we have no problem. I just had to straighten it out with you."

"What? Were you missing all of my mocking and teasing?" I asked elbowing her in her arm, and I couldn't help but laugh when her face grew completely disgusted and horrified.

"No! Not at all! I'm not that sadistic!" She exclaimed only making me laugh harder and she joined in. Hearing the mixed sound of our shared joy sounded WAY too beautiful to be good for me. I was going to have to quit before I said too much; forgot that I wasn't supposed to be worshipping her, and get home. So that much faster I can be back here again, and spending more time with this enchanting young woman. Time that I wouldn't normally be allowed to steal, even if I camped out at the arcade all day.

I assured her, "I really am fine, and I'm sorry that I scared you. Though I gotta admit I'm even more sorry that I've dealt with you so cruelly in the past… no matter how much fun I had doing so, it isn't fair. Especially when you've been so kind going out of your way, as much as you have."

"Well THANK you for noticing! That nearly took you two entire YEARS of insults to realize it. Then you call me thick!"

"I know, I'm sorry!"

"It's okay, really, you have a gift for bringing out my dark side. I guess the reaction's mutual, now stop apologizing before you REALLY start to scare me and I call an ambulance to come get you." She threaten and just got the words out before bursting into an adorable laugh that made me immediately laugh along. God, she's got the most beautifully contagious laugh, it's like tiny sparkling bells, and my face was starting to ache from all of my smiling. I hadn't had much smile about in a while, if ever, and my face just wasn't used to this much elation.

I cleared my throat and began again seriously, "Alright, I'll stop, but on one condition-"

"Well I can't WAIT to hear this." She interrupted and I smiled again. My head screaming, **'STOP THAT!'**

"I will only stop apologizing **IF** it is alright for me to call you _'Serena'_ occasionally, and you not think I'm dying. Do we have a deal?"

She giggled and said, "Now wait a minute, let's think about this really hard. That means that there will be maybe whole days in my future that I can look forward to hearing my actual name, and not being compared to foods, livestock, or any animals with a healthy appetite? The one thing that I have been asking for since the moment we met?"

"Look, I never realized how badly I was treating you; until we starting working together on this play. I also never realized how much I liked the name Serena, until I got around it more." I said as we walked out of the school together.

"Well if you start turning nice now, I may actually start liking you."

"Let's not get crazy," I laughed and she giggled back until she noticed the large clock above my head and gasped.

"Oh my GOD, my mom is going to KILL me! It's nearly three in the morning! AHHH! SeeyatomorrowDarienBYEeeeeee eeeeeee!"

As she left me in the dust, I chuckled to myself, "I'm in so much trouble."

"Master, tell me what else is new." Kirk asked me with a big grin, while his other three counterparts caught up to us.

"Tell me, has there ever been a time, when that girl, wasn't tying you in knots?" Max asked me, while the others all chuckled.

I sighed, "Sadly yes, I've only known Serena maybe two years of this life. Before that, the only friends I had were those you met earlier today. I'm afraid I've had to endure much without her, and if she doesn't remember soon I'm afraid to know what else I'll withstand without her comfort or aid."

"Well, we may not be as pretty," Jaden began, "But we're here for you, Master. While we can't say it'll be any easier to bare her absents, at least you won't be handling everything COMPLETELY alone."

"YEAH!" Max was quick to join in, "It's like you said earlier today, on that stage. We're you're guys, we've got your back."

"Well help you stay safe, and keep her safe." Zane tacked on and suddenly, my cause didn't seem quite so hopeless. So hopefully our powers will protect the world long enough for our girls to return. In the meantime, the city really could rest a little easier even though I knew sleep would be impossible for me, until I got her back… I would somehow get her back, I just had to.

* * *

That's it for this chapter!

_Now it's all up to you readers, did you like it, Love it, Hate it, Tolerate it? Let me know, I love hearing from you all and you keep me going! Thank you to ANYONE reading this simply for reading this far! You are a blessing even if I don't hear from you! Thanks again to all of you who reviewed the first chapter, favorite this story, me as a writer or placed me on you alert list(s). You're all WONDERFUL! I hope you liked it and I hope to have the next chapter posted soon! Much Love!_

_**-SailorLeia**_


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